EarthGen launched a new way to reach teachers and provide them with the knowledge and skills they need to teach climate science. This school year, EarthGen started offering asynchronous courses on a variety of climate-related topics, including agriculture, wildfires, and the foundations of climate change. This new model has allowed EarthGen to reach a wider audience, including educators who may not have been able to attend in-person trainings due to time constraints or geographic limitations.
EarthGen’s asynchronous courses are an appealing option for busy teachers, enabling educators to earn clock hours at their own pace and convenience. One teacher who took one of EarthGen’s asynchronous courses shared, “It was totally flexible, and I could sit down and spend half an hour on something then come back later; one day, I worked on it for 6 hours. It was super convenient.”
Even though these courses are online and self-paced, they still provide teachers with the same climate science knowledge, a community of support, and a plan for implementation and action in the classroom. The assignments require teachers to read and comment on their peers’ thoughts, sparking meaningful conversations. Many teachers engaged in regular dialogues with the same individuals, cultivating a supportive network that enhances the learning experience.
Educators who have completed the course also appreciate that all of EarthGen’s programs, including the asynchronous courses, are grounded in science and include comprehensive reference materials. One teacher shared that the class gave her the confidence to teach climate science without fear of facing skepticism or being accused of pushing a political agenda. “It was so fact-based,” she said. “It gave me such a great foundation to bring to students and for them to be able to decide for themselves and make up their own minds with the data.”
Teacher quote paired with a student artifact. Students were tasked with sharing a piece of artwork about an action plan to share with the community.
By offering these courses, EarthGen is making climate education more accessible to teachers who face busy schedules and competing challenges. This is an important step in creating a generation of students who are knowledgeable about climate science and prepared to take action to address climate change.
EarthGen’s summer asynchronous courses will be posted by June 5, visit the EarthGen website to learn more and register.
